Chatty coworkers can be bad for your career: Here's how to fix the issue
Career challenge: How do you halt a chatty colleague so you can get your work done?
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Although it’s always nice to chat with colleagues during the course of the work day, constant interruptions in the office or place of business from overly chatty or friendly colleagues can distract you from your tasks at hand.
This may affect not just your productivity on a specific day or time, but your career performance overall.
Workplace professionals and others shared advice about how to halt talkative coworkers in their path so that you can finish your work on time — and at the same time, maintain good connections with others on the job.
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Here is some helpful insight.
How do constant interruptions affect productivity?
Jonathan Alpert, a psychotherapist and executive performance coach with practices in Manhattan and Washington, D.C., and the author of the book, "Be Fearless: Change Your Life in 28 Days," said he believes constant interruptions during the work day don't allow people to focus fully on their tasks at hand.
Constant interruptions during the work day "can lead to exhaustion and fatigue," said one psychotherapist and executive performance coach. (iStock / iStock)
"These interruptions can also lead to exhaustion and fatigue as the brain continuously tries to course-correct and get back into the groove and work mode," he said.
When interrupted, people may think about what they were doing and/or what they need to do — while also trying to focus on the person who is interrupting them, he said.
"Interruptions can also increase the rate of errors as the concentration is broken."
"This taxes the brain and leads to stress," Alpert told Fox Business.
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"Interruptions can also increase the rate of errors as the concentration is broken."
Actionable steps to stop the chattiness
If you're continually disrupted by gossipy or chatty coworkers, you can gently share your need to stay focused at work.
If you don’t have a door to close, it’s OK to put up a sign on the entry to your workstation that says, "Work in Progress" — or "Deeply Focused." (iStock / iStock)
Being straightforward is a good approach, said etiquette expert Pamela Eyring, president of The Protocol School of Washington in Lexington, South Carolina.
She suggested telling people you're on deadline or need to concentrate on your work.
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"Offer to be available at lunch or after work to chat," said Eyring.
And, if you don’t have a door to close, it’s OK to put up a sign on the entry to your workstation or office, stating "Work in Progress" or "Deeply Focused" — or even, "Taking an online course" as an option.
If another worker insists on interrupting you as you're trying to complete tasks, you might say to the person, according to one etiquette expert, "Is it urgent that we talk now — or could this wait until the end of the day?" (iStock / iStock)
If you've shared your concerns with the interrupter but the chattiness is continuing, you might need to speak to the person privately about your need to focus on your work, said Eyring.
You might say something like, "John, you know how much I enjoy our daily chitchats, but they're becoming too distracting for me due to their frequency. Let's catch up at lunchtime instead," suggested Eyring.
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She also said a reasonable comment could be, "Is it urgent we talk now — or could it wait until the end of the day?"
It can help to explain to others why it's important to stay 100% focused, advised one professional about frequent interruptions during the work day. (iStock / iStock)
Also, you may wonder if you should warn the chatty coworker that you all need to be on your best work game given today's economic realities.
"If there's uncertainty about job security, then it would help to explain why it's important that you be 100% focused," said psychotherapist and executive coach Alpert.
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"If [the person] truly respects you, then that person will understand and grant your need for space and quietness," he also said.